Changeable sign



pru 14, 1931. F R. STREHLV 1,800,913

CHANGEABLE' S IGN 22 Elqyd R. www

@MMM-F April 14, 1931. F. R. sTRl-:HL 1,800,913

CHNGEABLE SIGN Filed Aug. 29. 1928 4 sheets-Sheet 2 FEA/ig. 5.

April 14, 1931. F. R. STREHL 1300313 CHANGEABLE SIGN Filed Aug. 29, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 floyd j?. Siwa/LL wuQ/wbw l @3513 l z r elk/tonnage 'April 14, 1931. F R, STREHL .1,800,913 I CHANGEABLE S IGN @gna s Patented Apr. 14, 1931 FLOYD R. STREHL, i? LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA Application led August 29, 1.928.` Serial No. 302,837.

This invention relates to a sign designed primarily for use on street cars and other vehicles designed for carrying passengers.

@ne of the objects or" the invention is to provide a sign which will operate, automatically, to make dierent displays at predetermined intervals. For example., a'lter every street crossing has been passed, the sign can be changed automatically to display the name of the next street being approached.

Another object is to provide a sign the mechanism of which is simple and efficient, means being provided whereby, when the end of the route is reached, the mechanism will be reversed automatically so that the signs will be successively displayed in proper rotation during the return trip.

A still further object is to provide means whereby the sign can be set so as to begin its operation with the display or1 any selected portion thereof and thereafter display the diiterent portions of the sien in proper succession during the movement of the vehicle in either direction.

Another object is to provide a device of this type which can be installed readily and will operate. to accurately display the signs at the proper times and places.

"With the foregoing and other objects inl view which will appear as the description proceeds the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the dctails of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit ot the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form et the invention has been shown.

ln said drawings,

Figure 1 is a iront elevation of the sign housing, a portion thereof being broken away.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section through the iront portion of the housing oi the sign, the interior mechanism being shown in elevation and the sign strip or web being shown in section. g

Figure 8 is a sectionon line 3-3, Figure 2. 5G Figure 1lis a section on line 4-4, Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section on line -v, Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6, Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the housing oi the sign.

y Figure 8 is a section on line 8-8, Figure 2.

Figure 9 is a section on line 9-9, Figure 2.

Figure 10 is a view showing, in diagram, the means for automatically reversing the motor which operates the sign.

Figure 11 is a view in diagram of the motor reversing switch showing the position thereof after it has been shifted from t-he position shown in Figure 10. f i

Referring to the iigures by characters of reference 1 designates a box-like housing of any suitable proportions provided preferably with a movable lid 2 whereby access can be had readily to the mechanism contained within the housing. This housing is adapted to be located at a point where it can be seen readily by the passengers in the vehicle and formed in one of the exposed walls of the housing are superposed windows 3 and 4. lt is to be understood, however, that it preferred one of these windows can he dispensed with or additional windows can be used. in the present structure the window 8 is adapted to display the naines of streets crossed by the vehicle while the window 4 is adapted to display advertising matter or the like changeable as the Vehicle proceeds along its route. Other spaces on the exposed face ot the housing can be utilized forfholding signs which are not changeable. For example a card holder 5 may be arranged on the front face of the housing as shown particularly in Figure 1. y

Journaled within the upper portion of the housing are spaced taire-up rolls 6 and 7 each of which has a ratchet wheel rotatable therewith, these wheels being indicated at 8 and 9 respectively. Mounted for rotation on the shaft 10 ot' the roll 6 is a pulley 11 having a groove 12 in the periphery thereof and carried by one side of the pulley is a spring restrained pawl 13 engaging the ratchet wheel 8 so that when the pulley is rotated in one direction motion will be transmitted therefrom through the pawl 13 and the ratchet wheel 8 to the shaft 1() and to the roll 6 whereby said roll is driven in a clockwise direction as shown by the arrow in Figure 8.

A pulley14 having a peripheral groove 15 is mounted for rotation on the shaft 16 of the roll 7 and carried by this pulley is a spring-pressed pawl 17 which engages the ratchet wheel 9 for the purpose ofdriving the roll 7 in a counter-clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow in Figure 8. One end of an elongated sign strip or web 18 is secured to the roll 6 while the other end thereof is secured to the roll 7. rlChis web isV extended past guide rollers 19 and 20located adjacent the bottom of the lower window 4 respective ly. From the guide roller 2O the webisex- `tended under a idrive roll 21Y against which the web is pressed tightly by an idler roll 22 journaled in pivoted arms 23 which are yieldingly supported by springs 24. rfhus whenever the roll 21 is actuated, the web 18 will be moved longitudinally thereby so as to be unwound from one or the other of the rolls A6 and 7, according to the direction of rotation of the roll 21.

The shaft 25 of the roll 21 has separat-e Vpulleys 26 and 27 rotatable therewith. A

belt 28 is mounted in the peripheral groove of the pulley 26-and within the groove 12 in pulley 11 whilev another belt 29is seated in the peripheral groove in pulley 27 and within the groove 15 `in pulley 14. These belts constitute means for transmitting motion yfrom shaft 25 to the respective pulleys 11 and 14. The belts are adapted to drive only will slip on the pulleys.

One end of the shaft 25 has arms 30 extending in opposite directionstherefrom into the path of a tripping'linger 31 normally extending at right angles from a sweep 32, it

being held in this normal'position bye. spring 33. The sweep rotates with a shaft to. which is secured a worm wheel 35. A tripping pin 36 is extended laterally from the peripheral portion ofthel worm wheel at a point preferably in line with the tripping linger 31,V this pin being extended oppositely to the linger as shown particularly in Figure "6. Securely mounted at a pointY in the path of the tripping 1'inger31 is a tripping cam 3.7,againstwhich said linger-will pressv once vduring each complete rotationV ofr the worm wheel 35. rEhis linger is adapted to ride under-the cam so as to be pressed downwardly and laterally thereby out of the path of the arm 30. Y A

Y lhe worm wheel 35 mesheswith a worm 38 carried by and rotatable with a shaftf39 to which is secured pulley 40 having a periphl eral groove.

This pulley is-fadapted to receive motion through a belt 41 from a pulley' 42 carried bythe shaftV 43 of an electric motorY 44 Vlocatedv in theV housing 1.

Figures 10V and 11 this mechanism has been illustrated in diagram. In Figure 10 the overhead wire or conductor of a trolley car has been indicated at 45 and it is designed to secure to this wire at the far side of each street crossing, a tripping member 46 which will not interfere with the travel of the trolley wheel 47 along. the conductor. the top of the upper windowv and adjacent VArranged onthe trolley pole 48 is a contact 49 adapted to come against the tripping member' orcontact 46 to close a circuit from the wire 45 througha solenoid 50,to the ground as shown at 50 The core or armature 51 of the-solenoid engages an arm 52 mounted for oscillation on a shaft 53. As* shown :particularly in Figure 3 this armor lever 52'has a pawl 54 adapted to engage a ratchet wheel 55 secured to the shaft 53- and 'y provided with oppositely extending contact arms 56. Supported adjacentto the contact v arms 56 is a disk 56 in which is arranged an arcuate contact 57 lextending through approximately 180 degrees while-spaced from ythis contact and from each-othery are two additional'arcuate contacts v58 and 59 each extending through slightly less than degrees. One of the arms 56 is in engagement with the arcuate Contact 57 while the other arm is adapted to engage either 'of the contacts 58 and `59. As shown in Figure 10 the contact 57 is electrically connected as at 60 vto a circuit in the car which can be fed from the motor'circuit or the lighting circuit. The

contact 58 is electrically connected as at 61v to another arcuate contact 62 extending through somewhat less than 90- degrees and "concentric with a shaft 63 on which are mounted oppositely extending contact arms 64. One of the arms 64is in engagement with an arcuate contact 65 extending through approximately 180 degrees while another arcuate Contact 66 extendingthrough somewhat less than 90 degrees is adapted to be engaged by the other arm 64. All of these lcontacts are spaced from eachother and, like the contacts 57, 58, and 59,` are insulated from Y eachother. ll-heA shaft 63 which carries the arms 64 has preferably four lingers radiating therefrom as shown particularly in. Figure 5. These fingers, 67, are disposed where they will be successively engaged by pin 36 as the wheel 35 rotates, four revolutionsof the wheel 35 being necessary toL make one complete revolution of the shaft 63, Yas willv be vobvious.

The"y contact59is electrically connected, as

vat 68 `to the `contact 4-66 while the contact 65 is electrically connected, as at 69 to the brush 70 of a reversing switch. Y Thisl brushrconstantly engages a conductorring 71 securedA to a shaft 72 provided with a ratchet wheel 73. A lever 7 4 is mounted to oscillate on the shaft 72 and carries a pawl 7 5 for engaging and actuating the ratchet wheel. This lever 74@ engages and is actuated by the core or armature 78 ot a solenoid 77 electrically connected by leads 78 and 79 to the circuit 80 oiE the car from which the electrical connection 60 is extended. The lead 79 is normally broken and includes normally spaced contacts 81. rlhese contacts are located at opposite sides et one edge portion of the web 18 but this web is provided, near each end, with a contact 8:2 so located that when the unwinding oi' the web in either direction is co1npleted, the contact 82 will come against the contacts 81 and close the circuit therethrough so as to energize the solenoid 77.

The conductor ring 7l forming a part of the reversing switch is rotatable with a disk 83 of insulating material and extending radially within this disk 83 are ,tour regularly spaced contacts two of which are oppo sitcly disposed and indicated at 84 while the other two are diametrically opposed and indicated at 85. These contacts extend to the periphery ot the disk.

Adjacent each of the contacts 84 is another contact 83 insulated from the contacts 84 and from the ring 71. Each contact 85 is extended between spaced electrically con nected contacts 87 and 88 which, however, are insulated from the contact 85 and from the ring 71. rlhree stationary contacts 89, 90 and 91 lirinly engage the periphery of the dish 33. Contacts 90 and 91 are connected to the respective brushes of the motor M while the Contact 89 is electrically connected to the iield coil 92 ot the motor and thence to the circuit indicated at through the conclue tor 93.

The web 18 is provided, at regular intervals, with data to be displayed through the windows 3 and 4t. In the structure illustrated this data is arranged in regularly spaced groups, each group including an upper line giving the name ot' a street and a lower line er lines constituting an advertisement. lf] here only one window 3 is utilized the advertising matter will be eliminated. The data is so spaced that every time motion is imparted to the web 18 the display through the window 3 or through the windows 3 and l will be changed. The data is arranged in proper succession on the web for the purpose et displaying in proper succession the names et the successive street crossings.

Assuming that the web is cennoletely wound on the roll 6 and that the iirst street crossing is displayed through the window 3 prior to the beginning ot a trip, the parts of the electrical apparatus may then be positioned as shown in diagram in Figure 10. immediately alter the first street crossing has been passed, the trip Ll@ will come against the Contact 49 with the result that solenoid 50 will he energized and the lever 52 will be pulled upwardly to swing the arms 56 tothe positions indicated by broken lines. Thus the current from the conductor 6() will pass through the contact 57 and arms 56 to the contact 58 and thence through the conductor G1 to the contact (52, arms 64 and contact 65, thence through the conductor 69 to the brush 7 0, ring 71, contacts 8d and 91, and through the motor by way of contacts 90, 86, 89, and conductor 93 back to the supply circuit. This will result in actuation of the motor which will dirve the worin 38 and cause the Worm wheel 35 to rota-te. 'lhus motion will be transmitted to the roll 21 which will pull the web downwardly from the roll 6, motion at thesanie time being transmitted through the pulley and belt to the roll 7 which will take up the web. frs before explained any variations in the movements ot' the belt, web, etc, will be compensated for by the slip connections between the belts andtheir pulleys. ift niigiit be 'lded that as the wheel 35 rotates the linger 81 movable therewith comes against one et' the arms 30 in the path thereot and thus insures rotation ci said arm and the roll 21 through 180 degrees. 0n the completion of this movement the finger 31 comes against the cani 37 and is shifted laterally out of engagement with the arm 30. Thus accurate movement of roll 21 through exactly 180 degrees is insured. Simultaneously with the disengagement of the linger31 from` the arm 30 the pin 36 comes against the lingers 67 in the path thereof, rotating shaft 63 a onequarter turn. rl`his will cause the arms Gil to shift from the full line position shown in Figure 11 to the dotted line position, thereby breaking the circuit to the motor. After thenger 31 passes the cam 37 it can spring back to position and will stop at some point before reaching theV other arm 39, the extent oi this movement of the linger 31 depending on the momentum imparted thereto by the motor atter the current has been cut ott' to the motor. The actuation of the web in this manner will bring the name ot the second crossing to position where it will be displayed and here it will remain until. that crossing is passed at which time the trip lever or contact 9 will be actuated by the tripping member i9 in the paththereo'f resulting in the repetition oi the operation just described, it being understood that following each actuation ot the solenoid the armature or core 51 will drop downwardly by gravity, swinging lever 52, therewith and causing the pawl 54 to slip over one ot the teeth ot' the ratchet wheel 55. ln other words, the second actuation of the solenoid will result in shifting the arms 56 from the broken line position shown in Figure 11 to the full line position shown in said ligure whereupon a circuit will be completed through the arms 64 which are still in the broken line position shown in said ligure. However, as soon as the sign has been changed fand another lin-n ger (37 engaged and actuated by the pin 36, the arms G4 will be shifted Vfrom the broken f line position in Figure ll back to the full Y line position, thereby breaking the circuit Y to themotor.

VlVhen the web has been completely vun- Wound and the last crossing has beenV passed, the contact 82 carriedby the web Will come against and electrically engage the Vcontact 8l, thereby completing a circuit to the sole- :noid 77. This Will result in actuation of the core or armature T6 and the shifting of lever 74 whereby the disk 83 ill be given a onequarter rotation. This Will bring the contacts to the relative positions shown in Figure il,

one ofthe contacts 85 being in engagement with contact While the contacts 8? and 88 will engage respectively the contacts 89 and 91. Consequently the direct-ion rotation of the motor Will be reversed and when the vehicle travels along the return trip the operation of the web will be rerersed but the same Will be actuated intermittently in the same manner as heretofore described..

If, for any reason, it should be desired to reverse the motor Without waiting for the automatic reversal thereof, the shaft .72 can be rotated by a knob 94 so as to shift the rela tive positions of the contacts. Should it be desired to shift the web Without awaiting the automatic actuation thereof the shaft' could be actuated by a knob 95. vlNhat .is claimed is: l. A changeable sign including take-up rolls, a Web adapted to be Wound thereon, an

actuating roll engaging the Web for unwinding from either roll, means operated by the actuating roll for maintaining the web taut When unwound from eitherof the take-up rolls, a motor, a tripping finger mounted for circular movement and actuated by themotor. oppositely extending arms rotatable with the ,eis

is-'rotate'd in either direction, and'means in the path ofthe finger vfor automatically `disengaging it momentarily from the armwhen thek web has completed its predetermined movement inv either direction. i

3. A reversible changeable .sign includingy separate take-up rolls, a Webadapted to be Wound thereon, an actuatingroll engaging the Web, means-forhol'ding said web pressed against theactuating roll, a motor, a shaft, means actuated by the motor for rotating the shaft in either direction, ,a tripping finger rotatable with the shaft, oppositely extending arms carried by the actuating roll, eitheriof said arms being positioned for engagement.; `by the finger when rotated in either direction, Vthereby to rotate the roll and shift the vweb a predetermined distance, means in the path of the finger ifor automatically disengaging it momentarily from the arm when the Web-r has completed its predetermined movement in either direction, and ymeans for stopping 'he motor upon completion of the movement of the Web.

ln testimony that 'claim the lforegoing as@ actuating roll, either of said armsjbeing dis-v posed for engagement by the tripping linger' for actuation therewith, thereby to move the Web a predetermined distance, and means for automatically tripping 'the lfinger momentarily for disengaging it from the arm of the A actuating roll on the completion of the pre'- determined movement of the Web. Y 2. A changeable sign including separat take-up rolls, a Web adapted to 'be Wound thereon, an actuating roll engaging the web, means for holding said Web presseda'gainst the actuating roll, afmotor,` a shaft, means actuated by the motor'for rotating the shaft,A a tripping finger rotatable with the shaft in either direction, oppositely extending arms carried by the actuating roll, either of said arms being positioned for engagement by the finger, thereby to rotate the roll and shift the -Web a predetermined distance when the finger 

